Crisis and Emergencies Management Summit: ‘Emirati model’ for readiness sets global example

Crisis and Emergencies Management Summit: ‘Emirati model’ for readiness sets global example

Abu Dhabi: The UAE is prepared to any new pandemic, natural disaster or national emergency, and is sparing no efforts to further enhance its readiness, a top official announced in the capital on Wednesday. Speaking at the Crisis and Emergencies Management Summit in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, Obaid Al Shamsi, vice president of the National Crisis, Emergency and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), described these national action plans as the ‘Emirati model’ of dealing with emergencies and crises. “This Emirati model is pinned by wise leadership, which provides solutions to every challenge posed. It also expects the unexpected, and is proactive instead of reactive,” Al Shamsi said at the Summit. While hailing the success of the Emirati model during the COVID-19 crisis, Al Shamsi said its learnings should be included in university-level curriculums that teach preparedness as a science, and equip students with the required predictive and analytical tools. “We study the sciences that ensure preparedness and crisis handling, including psychology, sociology, engineering and medicine. But then we perfect the knowledge till it becomes an art,” Al Shamsi told a packed audience on the second day of the summit. The most unexpected disasters have historically originated from extreme weather events. Sheikha